Finger ring with key



'NOV- 9, 1948- H. H. BoscowlTz 2,453,190

FINGER RING WITH I KEY Filed March 6, 1946 Patented Nov. 9, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT' oFFIeE 11. Claims.

This,v inventionrelates to improvements.- in linger rings or other articles of jewelryvintended for wearing as ornaments, and haring'a key for alock attached thereto for instant andconvenient use` either for the: ordinary operation. of the lock,v or more particularly for emergency use in. cases Where the regula-r keyhasrbeemlost or' misleid.v for example, the improved ring@v with combined key finds: an important use: as, a combined ignition. switch key and doorkey tor automobiles, and is--handy and useful in cases; where the. ignition key hasy been left in the ignition switch and. the door of the automobile lockedwith an automatic spring lock or the like, so thatA the. operator' is unable. to get. the keyl from theA ignition switch to unlock the door.

Itis a general objectof the invention to provide a' nger ring or other similar article of. jewelry-, with an. improvedstructure for carrying; orsup porting` a keywhereby the latter is; instantly available for use-tofoperate a-lock and can be retracted, intor inoperative position..

A further; object ofthe inventiorris.- to .providean improved structure of. a combinedfinger ring and, key whereby/the key is@ concealed Within the' ringA structure, as for exampler at the inner sideof the; band orrbezel and held in'` such position so. as: toavoid interference with or martine, of the decorative' features of theringl, and: toafvuid. any inconvenience to therwearer:

A further and: more particular obj ect: of the inventionl is'fto provide in: a combinedtfnger" ring:A and key structure-animproved: for slidably supportingA the. keyV housedv and'. con.;- cealed inoperative position in the rmgstructure. andy fork being quickly andi easily'. projected. into operative: position' when the ring' is removed from. the finger, and held' in. retracted inoperative posi?- tion when the ring is on thexnger.

According Vto another improved'feature. of the invention, :the key is mounted in the-ring" band and vprovided with a: holding; devi-ce2 adjustable. thereon for cooperation withn the ri'ngftol hold the key both iny its retracted inoperative position and inits projectedv operative position; thusJpreventing.l accidental retraction or wrong; positioning off the key during usethereofe in operating; the lock.

Another object is to provide? ana improved. mounting wherebyv thewkey can be' quickly and easily installed'. in opera-tive position on therlng; quickly and; easily removed;

other objects of the inventionwm be in pant. pointed out in the following detailed4 disclosure'.y

of an illustrative but preferredembodiment ofthe invention, andwill be in part. obvious' as: the'disclosure proceeds.A i

The invention accordingly comprisesrthe: tea.'- tures. of construction,y combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which willbeexemplie ,in` the .construction hereinafter` setl forth :and

. 2- the scope ofA the application of whichwilll-beindicated in theI claims.

For a more comprehensive. disclosure of the natura, objects and advantages ofthe y, reierenceis had to the following detailed-.description and tothe. accompanying drawin-gstiniwhich;

Fig. i is. an enlarged perspective ltop Viennot ai finger ring` carrying a.- key arranged inl accordance with the invention-rr the key being. in protected 10 operative position;

2l is an enlarged. perspective view-similar to.` thatot l showing the bottom or undersideotv the structure, the key being -proiectect'andxheldz operative position;

1l Fig. 3A is a perspective v-ievvI simil-arl to Fig. 21

showing the key retracted and held. ininopenatwa position;

Fie. 4- is an. enlarged. transverse'section7 taken substantially on the lined- 4i of F'ig- 2 looking im 20, the direction of the arrows;

26 showing thecon-ne ction between: thevkey andi heim-- ingmember' and.

Fia.. 7 isa fragmentary eniargedxend elevation Referring to the: drawing" for a. detail-ett descrip tion oi thee illustrative embodiment o'cthe iriver-r.-

30; tionthere shown', theinrprovementsare embodied' in a rin-gf` t0? ofy the. signet type: ordinarily of. rnfe.-y ciousrnetal` and having, a fngerharrd lit andizan. enlargement t2: providing a bezel which may adapted to carry decorative feammessuchvasa;

35a letter or monogram.' engraved om' or" attached thereto, or to carry a ston'eor' otherornamento'.-l tion. Although thev intenti-oni as, disclosedv iis-ape plied to a ring. of the signet typegit .willberimdenr-f stood that it may bel applied. to' other typesrot' ringssuch as plain band' rings or to. other'stmitar articles ofzdecorative jewelry; Thebe-nd". Isl where: it ioins thezbezell t2. is` provided* with an enlarged'. portion of gradually ncreasingf crossv sectional; area from thebandportiorr to theibezel portion as# 451 indicated-at lo..

At` ther inner side of the enlarged portion-for bezell il!y a supporting: slideway isZ providedwhi'ch' in. thewembodiment shown is inthe-torni .ot elongatedfchannei or groove I4. 'lhisfgroove tlf. 50? may be cut or: cast' intovthe innerY surface of 'the bezel extending transverseiyfoi the. latter' and walls;

4 provided in the upper portion of the keeper bar' I6 for receiving this handle When the retaining member is positioned in its opposite holding position.` lThe lateral surfaces of the seats 24 and 25 and al he inner surfaces of the endwall I5 and of th keeper bar ISmare formed to engage in close holding relation with the swinging end of the holding plate I8 and with the handle 23 there- The key I'I is mounted in the channel or slideway I4 for longitudinal sliding movements therein into extended operative position, and for retraction into inoperative position in which it is effectively supported and concealed in such a manner as not to interfere with the external appearance of thering, and so as to avoid interference-with the proper fitting of the ring upon the finger. This key I1 is the member adapted fon-operating the lock and may be of any desired construction land design for cooperation with known'v standard lock mechanism, as for example an ignition switch lock for an automobile and/or the-lock for an automobile door. In the embodiment shown' the key I1 is positioned to underlie the-keeper bar 'I6 which serves as a guiding and retaining member for the key in its longitudinal sliding Ymovements in the slideway I4. The key and lother-parts of the ringr are preferably constructed of metal As best shown in Figs. 4, and 6, a retaining or holding member or plate I8 is pivotally connected by means of a pin I9 engaging supporting knuckles formed at the adjacent end portions ofthe key I'l and the holding member or detent I8'. Thus the holding member I8 is swingably supported upon the key into position to overlie the vkey when the latter is in retracted inoperative position'as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, or into extended position substantially in longitudinal alignment with the key when the latter is extended' in operative position as shown in Fig. 4.

The key I I and the auxiliary controlling member or detent i8 form a key unit slidably adjustable in the-'slideway I4. When this detent or auxiliary member I8 is adjusted to overlie the key a'ndfto'retain it in its retracted position as shown inFigs; 3 'and "5 and in broken lines in Fig. 4, it forms a cover for the channel whereby the inner surface of -the ring is'substantially continuous across the channel.

*Inwardly extending Aretaining anges 2| are formed on the' ring band along the inner side of the channel I4 in position to Overlie the opposite'ends rof the pivot pin I9 and pivot knuckles 20 so'as .to retain the key I1 in its normal operative' position inthe slideway during longitudinal sliding movements thereof, These flanges 2| are cut-away at end portions thereof so as to form entrance passageways 22 through which the end portions of the pivot pin I 9 and the pivot knuckles 20 pass when assembling the key into its normal operative position in the slideway, or during removalthereof from the slideway. The retaining flanges 2|Y engage the pivot knuckles 20 duringy longitudinal sliding movements of the key I'I thus assuring smooth sliding movements.

'zfAt itsfree swinging end the holding member lili-.is formedwith a narrow integral centrally disposed-:extension 23 projecting only slightly at the adjacent 'outer surface of the ring and forming a handle engageable by the user for releasing the Holding-member 'I6 from holding positions; this may-be done by means of an appropriate instrument or by the nger nail. A seat 24`is provided 'in'v the-upper edgefportion of the end wall I5 for re'- ceiving this handle 23, and a similar seat 25 is of. These surfaces may be undercut slightly so that the holding plate engages therewith with a snap t to retain the holding plate in either of its holding positions, or the holding plate may be held in its holding positions merely by tight frictional engagement of theend portions thereof and of the handle 23 with the engaging surfaces ofV the seatsf24 and l25 and of the end wall VIS-andthe keeper l.

Whenitis desired to use the-keyt'o operate a. lock, thering is removed from the wearers'nnger and the auxiliary plate or detent I8 released from its normal closed position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. This may be done by engaging the handle 23 with the nger nail or any appropriate implement such as a coin, and lifting the holding plate from its' retained position in the retaining seat 25 and swinging it upon its pivot I 9.1 During'this movement .the key I'I can be slid outwardly from its retracted inoperative position through the opening 26 beneath the keeper bar I6. This opening 26 `as shown preferably conforms to the'` cross sectional shape of the key so as to receivethe latter closely and to support and guide it in its longitudinal movements, and also to support the key in operative extended'position for use in the lock as clearly shown in Fig. 4. During this extension of the key from retracted position to extended operative position, it is guided and supported in its sliding movements both by engagement of the key in the aperture 26 and by engagement of the outer pivot knuckles 20 in the channel or'slideway I4 beneath the overhangin'g ilanges 2 I. Thus the key is so supported for sliding movements during extension or retraction thereof as to avoid any binding or obstruction, and also it is firmly i supported in its extended position whereby it can be directed accurately to enter the lock-in operative position therein. The keyl is lstoppedor limited in its outward movementby engagement of the'pivot knuckles with the inner surface of the keeper bar I6. y

When `the key is thus extended, it issupported and held in its extended'position by the holding k plate or'detent I8 which is swung on itspivotv substantially into longitudinal alignment with' the key, extending inwardly from the end thereof as shown in Fig. 4. The free swinging end of the detent is pressed downwardly into Vengagement with the seat 24 in the wall lI5 where it isV held by frictional engagementof the surfaces'ofthe`4 seat and wall I5 with the edges of thedetent and handle 23. Thus the detent, being of stur material such as metal, holds the key in'its' extended" operative position, avoiding accider'ital retraction'thereof during' insertion in the lock and dur-l 65 ing'the'operation of'thelatter. The detent may be released from this positionin the same-manner" as abovedes'cribed'whereupon*it isfswung back again to its Iori'ginal positionI overlying the key when retracted into the position shown'in l',ig.`5.n pro'viclsfjl an effective cover plate for the top or inner isiderof" continuousA In this retracted position the detent the -channel I4 solas to form a knearly inner surface of the ring across and beyondfthe channel aus best seen Vin Fig. 3, .Y vv ."{IheS-provlsion ofv the entrance passageways 22" casarse through@ the naxiges 22| at the inner 4emr of-J the channel Menablesa keyfwith its-.pivotally connected' detent I8" to be quicklyl and easily installedin operative position in the ringor to be .removed from operative position therein. When installing the key, its free end is first placed in alignment?with,4 the aperture 2.6 andthe pivo-tal knuckles 'lllv then lowered through the passagewaysH-fwhile the end. ofi the key is moved forwardlyslightlyrbeneath the keeper bar i6 Whereupon the free endof' the detent is snapped into locking position in thelocking seat 25, as shown in Fig. 5, and the ring is ready to be Worn., When the'key'i's' thus assembled in its retracted position, it is housed in the ring structure and there is practically no alteration or marring of the external surface or appearance of the ring. Also the key is rmly and effectively supported both in its inoperative retracted position and in its extended operative position.

Since: certain changes may" be made 'in' the above` construction and different embodiments of theinvention could be made Without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having thus been fully described, the following is claimed:

1. In a finger ring, in combination, a ring band having an elongated channel forming a slideway opening at the inner side of said band, a key supported in said slideway and slidable therein for extension into operative position and for retracm tion into inoperative position, and a holding member movably connected to said key and engageable in one position thereof with the ring to hold the key in retracted inoperative position and engageable in another position thereof with the ring to hold the key in extended operative position.

2. In a finger ring, in combination, a ring band having an elongated channel forming a slideway opening at the inner side of said band, a key supported in said slideway and slidable therein for extension into operative position and for retraction into inoperative position, and a holding member pivotally connected to said key and swngable thereon into different holding positions to hold the key either in retracted inoperative position or in extended operative position.

3. In a nger ring, in combination, a ring band having an elongated channel forming a slideway opening at the inner side of said band, a key supported in said slideway and slidable therein for extension into operative position and for retraction into inoperative position, and a holding plate pivotally connected to an end portion of said key and swingable thereon into position to form a cover for said channel overlying the key when retracted and engaging the ring to hold the key in its retracted inoperative position.

4. In a finger ring, in combination, a ring band having an elongated channel forming a slidevvay opening at the inner side of said band, a key supported in said slideway and slideable therein for extension into operative position and for retraction into inoperative position, and a holding member pivotally connected to said key and swingable thereon into position overlying the key and into engagement with the ring adjacent to one end of said channel to hold the key in retracted inoperative position, said holding member also being swingable into engagement with the ring.; almacene to the: 'oppositeend ofzlsaid channel tor horld` they key ini'` extended. operativo one'sidethereof, a key. s'lidab'ly' mounted inirsaid channel, for. longitudinali extension'. and'. retracttion, anda: plate;-connected to. saidtkeyfarrd form.- ing. a. cover plate ion said channeLnsaid cover: platef forming. a. holding device. for'r retaining the. key` againstv longitudinal n'rovements;v

6. Infanarticletof jewelry; in combination', said article having' an: elongated channel opening', at one side thereof, retaining seats one of which-lis positioned. adjacent .to each ofi the opposite ends oi said channeh a keyslidably'mounted: insaid channel. for longitudinal extension and" retiran;- tion, and a plate conneicteditofsaidkey anchiorin ing a ycover platev for said; channel,. saidtplate. forming. a holding device movable.- into: engage;i ment Withnonei ofy saidseatszto hold' key.l in retractedl position orfinto engagement wither.- ot-her. of. said; seats` to'. hold. thetkey innexttmded operative position.

7. In an article of jewelry, in combination, said article having an elongated channel opening -at one side thereof, retaining seats one of which is positioned adjacent to each of the opposite ends of said channel, a key slidably mounted in said channel vfor longitudinal extension and retraction, and a key retaining member pivotally connected to said key and swingable into engagement With one of said retaining seat-s to retain the key in retracted position or into engagement with another of said seats to retain the key in extended operative position.

8. In a finger ring, in kcombinati-on, a ring band having an elongated slideway and having at its inner side an opening to said slideway, a key unit adjacent to and operatively accessible through said inner opening and supported in `said slideway for sliding movements `into extended operative position and into retracted inoperative position, said key unit including a key `and an auxiliary member, and a pivotal connection between adjacent end portions of sai-d key and said auxiliary member Iconnecting them together for relative pivotal movements int-o relatively longitudinally extended position when the key is projected into operative position or into relatively overlapping relation when the key is retracted into its inoperative position.

9. In a finger ring, in combination, a ring band having an elongated slideway and having at its inner side van opening to said slideway, a key unit adjacent to and operatively accessible through said inner opening and supported in said slideway for sliding movements into extended operative position and into retracted inoperative position, lsaid key unit 4including a key and lan auxiliary member, a pivotal connection Abetween adjacent end portions of said key and said auxiliary mem- :ber connecting them together for relative pivotal movements into relatively longitudinally extended position when the key is projected into operative position or 4into relatively overlapping relation when the key is retracted into its inoperative position, and a locking device for holding `said key unit in its retracted inoperative position and set into locking position when said key and said auxiliary member lare in their lsaid overlapping relation.

10. In a nger ring, in combination, a ring band having -an elongated slidew'ay and a key unit supported lin said slideway `'for move-ments intO extended operative position and retracted ino-penative position, said key unit including a key and an auxiliary member, a pivotal connection =be tween adjacent end p-ortions of said key and said auxiliary memlber connecting them together for relative pivotal movements into relatively longitudinally extended position when the key is projected into operative position or into relatively overlapping relation when the key is retracted into its inoperative position, and spaced locking formations on said ring band cooperating with said auxiliary member of said key unit for holding said unit in its operative or inoperative positions.

11. In a finger ring, in combination, a ring band having an elongated slideWay and having vat its inner side an opening to said slideway, a key unit 'adjacent to and operatively accessible through said inner opening and supported in said slideway for sliding movements into extended operative position and int-o retracted inoperative position, said key unit including a key and an auxiliary member, a pivotal connection ybetween adja- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date' Number Name 1,130,917 Meyer Mar. 9,1 1915 1,743,563

Montuori Jan. i4, 1928 

